Mass Effect: Dawn of Hope
by Defiant-Candle
Summary: Commander Zachary Shepard-yes that's the name of my paragon Shepard- returns with his love interest Tali and the gang in a new one-shot. Shepard takes Mordin and Samara on a shopping trip. Little do they know, the Reapers lie in wait, preparing to strike
1. Chapter 1

**Mass Effect: Dawn of Hope**

"Shepard, am curious. What are we doing here?" Mordin rapidly asks as we walk through a busy marketing street, manoeuvring through the sea of krogan, humans and turians bustling about around us. Samara follows suit, although the looks that were given to her and the wide berth that the crowds gave her indicates that she has little to fear from being isolated from our group. She ignores it and carries on. I turn around briefly to answer Mordin.

"Shopping." Is my short and simple answer.

"Shopping, ah. For what exactly?"

"Well, for clothes or, any items we might need to help us in the fight against the Reapers. Or just some plain-old gifts." I hope that's good enough.

Mordin nods,

"Of course- need to take inventory to help increase chances of surviving missions or coping through them- Understand completely, Shepard. Just curious as to where we are exactly."

I stop at the corner and point to a massive aisle with large different shops placed on either side of the ward.

"Well, this is a row devoted to special gifts for all races. Weapon shops are over there, next a tech and biotic amp shop which I hear sell good quality products. And also a-"

"Wedding gifts shop. Yes." Samara points to the shiny, white emblazoned hologram signed shop in the far right corner, then looks back at me. "I saw you do a 'double-take' at that place as you pointed the other shops and kiosks out."

Trying my best not to give away my reaction, I look back at her and reply casually

"Yes. Yes I did. It's shiny."

Samara raises one eyebrow, then decides that what I said is acceptable. She looks back to the shops with a "hmm."

"So, now that we're aware of our surroundings, I think it's alright to perhaps suggest that we split up and meet back here in what oh, half an hour?"

Mordin and Samara look at each other, then back at me and nod agreeably.

"Excellent. Try not to get into trouble while I'm gone will you? The last thing we need is a fight in one of the most heavily populated areas in the Citadel. I'll see you later."

I turn and walk to a gun shop, a batarian behind the counter. Then, when I think I'm out of my team's site, I turn and stroll towards the wedding gift shop.


	2. Mordin

Hmm, Shepard's body temperature and pulse on read- out scan taken as he walks away appear to have elevated. Something that he is hiding from us. Heart rate raised particularly and face flushed when Samara mentioned the wedding shop he is staring at- nervous? Afraid to be found out? Depends on nature of secret. Should I pry? No no, Shepard in no apparent danger. So many speculations. Finding an engagement gift?

Hmm, behaviour seemed, rather odd lately. Not as focused as usual. Day-dreaming.

Typical of someone either intoxicated, lacking in sleep or in love.

Hmm, possible correlation, between Shepard in love and gift shop-

Yes, Yes, definitely- Shepard could be buying someone a gift without telling us. Wants to keep it private. Know nature of Shepard's relationship, very serious, very intimate. Possessive and protective instinct prevents him from gossiping relationship. Only one other person aboard the Normandy who expresses feelings of this kind….

Need no further speculation. Have arrived at satisfactory conclusion. Shepard is buying an relationship gift for-

"Mordin." Samara's voice cuts clear through my thought processes. I had initially begun to walk towards the tech shop. I whip around.

"Yes Samara, what is it you need?"

"I, may need your assistance in a dire matter."

"Of course- tech upgrades currently low priority- no rush – can make time- what is the dilemma?"

"I may need your knowledge about Drell culture and religion." Samara speaks. Hands make frequent contact. Nervous, hesitant, not used to asking people for help nowadays.

"What for?"

"I, was hoping to buy a gift for Thane Krios. A special gift. We have been through some tough times and challenges together and, I am to depart to Omega soon. If we are to part ways, I wish to give Thane something to remember me by."

I stop, think, then smile happily.

"Of course, perhaps closer inspection of special souvenirs shop products will help us in finding a gift for Thane. Lead the way."


	3. Emily Wong

"Oh my gosh- Commander Shepard!" I cringe at the woman's high-pitched shout. Ever since I've been making frequent visits to the Citadel during my mission, I've been getting call-outs, shout-outs and even cat-calls as I wondered the streets and wards of the lower and upper Citadel markets. Initially it was nice to know that I had fans. But eventually the attention from so many people began to wear me down and aggravate me. Now I make every effort possible to avoid as much attention as possible. Deciding against my better judgement not to be rude, I turn towards the source of the voice and am surprised to see Emily Wong, a journalist and investigator for Citadel News. I had helped her initially with exposing corruption and Fist's organised crime on the Citadel in my investigation of Saren's treachery to the council, giving her an OSD with all his files on them. I had also promised to an interview with her when I had some time away from saving the galaxy.

_Well, at least it's not another asari fan girl group. Next time, just wear a helmet- _"Hi there!"

"So there you are! I've been itching to get an interview with you for two years now! Did you get my email?"

She sighs. I look at her. She hadn't changed much over the past two years, still fresh-faced and young. Her dress was simple, a slender pink, form hugging dress that stretched down to her feet like a gown, with shoulder straps and sleeves that ended with fluffy cuffs at where her wrists were. She appeared very fashionable. I grin and reply-

"Yes I did. How's it been Emily? Looks like the past two years have treated you well."

She briefly laughs.

"Oh you're too kind, Sherpard. But yes, I've been fine. I've been promoted to produce more high profile stories in my job. The pay is good and I've been seeing someone for over a year now lately."

I nod. That did sound good.

"Did that OSD from Fist help with your investigation?"

"Yes- although that's ancient history, that story was the one that got me promoted in the first place. Plenty of thanks to you on that part."

I smile happily.

"That's good to hear."

"What have you been up to lately."

I reflect back to my resurrection by Cerberus, the first time I saw Tali on Freedom's Progress as I investigated the disappearances of entire human colonies, fighting the Collectors, recruiting and gaining the loyalty of an entire team of assassins, soldiers, scientists and biotic specialists. I think back to attacking the Collector base and destroying the Human-Reaper and then destroying the Collector Base. I think back to Harbinger using a sniper rifle to blast off my right arm at the elbow and then fighting for life in the med-bay, Tali by my bedside, the hope for living grim. I think back to waking, with a new arm and tasting life again, victory and love coursing through my veins as Tali hugs me and the whole crew rejoices for the safety of the galaxy.

I look back at Emily Wong.

"Oh, nothing much, just saving the galaxy as usual."

"Ah- fair enough."

I look cautiously about me as Emily then asks.

"So what on earth are you doing in an engagement gift shop?"

"I urm,"

"It's ok- I'm not wearing a wire- You're running a classified operation or some secret mission at the moment right? So there was no way I could have seen you coming."

I lean back sceptical.

"And I assume that drone that just ducked behind the jewellery counter over there isn't a cam-bot?"

Emily's eyes widened, something purely of reflex. Her game was up. She opens her mouth to protest, then decides against it. She looks over to where her infiltrator is and calls him out.

"Come out, Roger. He knows you're there."

A weary sets of tiny beeps could be heard and a holographic sphere, resembling a combat drone hovered out. I regard it for a few seconds, before speaking to Emily.

"Remote-controlled by a tech nearby?"

"Yeah…"

"Relax Emily. I'll let it slide. You were only doing your job."

She hangs her head, shamed.

"I'm sorry, it's just, every news company out there is dying to get an exclusive with you. You're so famous now that the mere mention of your name sends the media into a buzz. Every interview, picture or video footage of you helps increase their reputation and well, when you arrived I thought I'd be doing my company a favour too."

I sigh. At least she wasn't a snide, smearing- jobbing bitch like Al-Jilani. And she appears to be harmless. Or had something happened in the past two years that changed her in some way in which I didn't account for.

"I'll tell you why I'm here, but will you turn off Roger?"

"I won't even mention you were here or this even happened."

'Roger' deactivates, dissipating into nothingness. I stare grimly into her eyes until she looks away.

"Do you always sneak up on people like that now just to get a story? Or am I 'a special case'?"

"Shepard I- being in a company like mine, you always have to do things not very sincere to get big in your position. I'm, I'm really sorry."

It's acceptable.

"Ok. I understand. You're a good kid Emily. Just remember that things like your job are never worth changing yourself over."

"Yeah, you're right. So, am I allowed to ask why you're here now."

I look around. Surprisingly no-one else is in the gift shop with me. I take the chance.

"I'm getting something very precious for someone. I had planned to do without attracting too much attention or getting my pictures slapped on every page on the extranet. Guess that didn't work out huh?" I sigh recollectively.

"It's funny- I was actually doing the same thing."

"Oh right." I perk up, pleasant surprise inside me. It was nice knowing that people I helped were happy.

"May I ask who that special man or, woman, that might be?"

"It's a he. And, well, he's a Salarian doctor who I've been with a long time now. He's a little eccentric and quirky, and he goes off on long business trips sometimes- dangerous ones, but he's a very accommodating and resourceful. He knows how to make me happy and that's all I really need."

"Sounds like an interesting person."- _Why does that sound like someone I know very well- _

I put the thought aside.

"So whose your special someone? Or is that classified?"

"I don't think I can harm anyone by telling you some of the detail. Well, I've never met a woman like her before and, well, I've thought of nothing else ever since other than making her happy. Always. Even if she's in a suit for most of her life and we have to limit our time together because of her immune system-"

"You're dating a Quarian? Oh my God that is so sweet!"

_Shit- _

I mentally kick myself for letting my mouth run my head. Tali always has a way of doing that to me, even at times when she wasn't around me. Emily's shouting doesn't help the situation much either though, so I duck my head down in embarrassment to avoid being seen by any passers-by.

"Sorry- Sorry- it's just- how long have you two been together."

"We've known each other for over a year and a half, not counting the past two years I spent dead though-"

"You were dead?"

_You stupid fuck._

I sweat nervously as I try to think of a suitable response to that without looking like a gormless idiot.

"I, got better…?"

_Smooth._

Emily's eyes are very large, and look as if they were about to shoot themselves at me like projectiles. Instead she closes them, shakes her head and looks back up at me, smiling casually.

"You know what? I think I'll leave it. I keep trapping you in corners without me knowing it. I need to go anyway- I think I saw my boyfriend over there- He didn't tell me he was back from work- He promised he'd come see me if he wasn't busy- oh well maybe he's on an errand. Anyway," She snaps back to me.

"You owe me an interview."

"I'll keep that in mind. Have a good day, Emily Wong."

"I will. See ya." She waves and is gone. I breathe a sigh of relief, leaning against the counter for support.

_Could I go one day without blowing my cover in a way that doesn't always involve gunfire and explosions?_

Dragging my hand down my face, I shake it off

_Time to go to work_

I activate my omni-tool camera and then a private comm channel to EDI.

"EDI? It's Shepard. Can you patch me through to Legion?"


	4. Legion

We are collating data regarding efficiency comparisons between the Viper sniper rifle and the anti-material Widow when A.I. EDI appears on the holographic display.

"Legion. Shepard is requesting to speak with you on the comm channel via video and audio uplink with your omni-tool."

"Acknowledged. Proceed with interface."

"Very well."

We activate our omnitool's holographic video screen and then our built-in comm channel. The screen is blurry, filled with noise and static as our signal is boosted to compensate for the signal lacking on Shepard-Commander's side. Finally, we make contact.

"….gion, hello? Can you hear me?"

"Shepard-Commander. We acknowledge and fully register you on our omni-comm."

"Ah good. Is the picture good on your end."

"Your image is composed of over 5020p HD footage. We can see every detail."

"Good to hear. You ready for analysis?"

"Standby." Another data tap is displayed next to our video interface. Extranet page is downloaded.

"Ready."

"Ok. I'm gonna turn this camera around and point it at the display in front of me. I need to describe which one is the most appropriate for Tali."

"Acknowledged. Did you ask Creator Tali-Zorah what exactly she desires her gift to look like."

"Legion, you know the nature of this gift and what it means. I could only get so much as hints from her during our conversations together. I can't just ask her directly what she wants on it otherwise it'll be obvious what I want to get her."

"Acknowledged. We are ready to begin analysis."

"Alright."

Shepard-Commander spins the camera around and we are now viewing the trinket display.

"Now, Tali likes the colours, green, purple, pink and blue. She likes leaves, plants and the Earth Rose. The rest I'm gonna need your help with here Legion."

"Acknowledged."

"Can't you just say alright or ok or something over than 'acknowledged?"

"Specify?"

"Forget it. Dumb question. Now Legion, I'm gonna point the camera at this selection one at time."

"We will help build you build consensus as to which product will please Ms Zorah the most."

"Took the words right out of my mouth. So to speak."

We are shown the first.

"Negative."

"Are you sure? It looks quite pretty to me."

"Negative. The jewel is incased within another, more hollow jewel case. We believe it will 'set off' the wrong image with Creators and their masks. Possible organic descriptions include the words trapping, claustrophobic, confined."

"Oh, yeah. I see what you mean. Thanks for the tip."

"You requested our aid. Gratitude is unnecessary."

"I guess that's your way of saying don't sweat it bro, right?"

"Specify?"

"_sigh,_ never mind."

"We are ready to continue building consensus."

"Ok, now what about this one?"

We hear footsteps outside the A.I. Core, heading towards the room. The sound patterns we are measuring indicate as such.

"Shepard-Commander. We are about to be interrupted."

"Oh shit- quick- hide the video and mute it or something."

"Acknowledged."

We are halfway through hiding the extranet page and omni-tool when the doors open and Creator Tali-Zorah enters the room. We move with haste and in our rush accidentally cut off the comm channel with Shepard-Commander. We look up, then down to the floor in what organics call a 'sheepish manner'. Creator Tali 'Zorah does not notice initially.

"Hey Legion I'm just here to look at the power generator leading to the engineering deck. The lights down there keep flickering for some reason and it's stopping us from working at 'full efficiency' as you might call it. That and it's starting to scare Grunt-Keelah bless him- you wouldn't know anything what's going on, would yo-" She looks up at this platform. We pretend to ignore her, shuffling our feet like organics do when they lack information of some kind or are reluctant to engage in conversation. Tali'Zorah stands up.

"Legion, what are you doing?"

"Specify." We innocently reply. She takes another step towards us. Non-threatening, but assertive.

"What were you doing with your omni-tool just now? Were you talking to someone?"

We look up, and then down again.

"Negative."

"I could hear your voice through the med-bay door. For a Geth Infiltrator you're not very quiet. You were talking to someone. Who was it?"

We try to turn her away.

"Negative. We suggest that Creator Tali'Zorah examine her audio processors in her helmet for possible dirt and foreign materials and decontaminate them, thoroughly."

"What!"

Our ruse is ineffective. We desperately search for alternatives.

"Did you just tell me to clean my ears out?"

We panic.

"Error, error, negative, error- unintended insult- Creator upset- correcting" Our vocoder chatters incoherently as it temporarily malfunctions, sparking erratically. Our flaps move in a flurry of random and disorganised movement before we can finally resume in organic communications. We take a step back and bump against the table.

"Corrupt software- platform error. consensus trying to be achieved, unable to establish proper connection- _Hello, I am C-3PO, human cyborg relations- _YAIHIYAIHIYAIHIYAIHIYAI- WEEEEeeorrrr- BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.- brzzzzztz….Shit."

After a short self-diagnostic to ensure our malfunction does not occur again, we look back up at Creator 'Zorah, who has her hands folded across her chest. Observations of organic behaviour tell us that she is 'not impressed'.

She speaks again, the tone of her voice implying that she wishes to destroy this platform. We raise our hands in a gesture of peace and non-aggression.

"Enough games, Legion. What were you doing with your omni-tool and why? Why are you not simply answering me?"

Outside we hear the voice of Chakwas-Medic.

"Tali, if you're going to shoot Legion, at least give me some warning before you do so like the last time. I'm still tense from your last encounter."

"Don't tempt me." Creator Zorah mutters under her breath as her hand reaches for her shotgun. We raise our flaps nervously.

If we fail to comply with Creator Tali Zorah's instructions, we calculate a 52.7426 per cent chance that she will terminate this platform and demote our functions as Geth to spare parts for emergency usage. If we do comply, we risk disobeying Shepard-Commander's strict instruction not to inform Tali'Zorah of his current plan, we will lose unit cohesion with him and potentially the whole crew of the Normandy, especially Creator Zorah.

We analyse the risks. We reach consensus. Flaps open then close, we engage in a communications ploy that organics appear to excel at and synthetics find difficulty performing.

We lie.

"No data available."


	5. Mordin and Samara

"Mordin, I still cannot find something that says you are a good friend and I hope you will live well amongst this collection of Citadel gifts."

I rub my neck to try and hide a display that shows impatience. Still unable to determine why females of all races find difficulty in choosing suitable items for friends and require others to help them do so.

_Note to self- do not go on shopping trips with females involved...-_

"What about this one? Wait, no, too colourful and tacky, Thane will not like that- what about this one?" Samara points at an item, a model where a nude Drell and Asari are touching hands in the depths of a hanar filled ocean.

"Hmm, perhaps not. Might misrepresent your feelings towards Thane, a bit."

"Hmm." Samara sighes with fatigue- "Have I lived to an age where anything serene or peaceful is interpreted as something, erotic or with a sexual undercurrent."

I put a hand to her shoulder.

"Things change. How far exactly is immeasurable, unknown. Unpredictable. Too many factors. Society or rules not degraded, simply altered, with the changing times and events affecting people's lives on large scale. Can understand your dilemma though and will be willing to help you through." A smile on my face.

"Thank you Mordin. Truly you are a good friend. Perhaps I should get you something as well."

"Would not mind one bit." I look at the row of gifts with renewed effort.

"Hey, are you Commander Shepard's group?"

We look up at a young male turian behind the counter.

"Yes." I respond immediately, completely forsaking Shepard's vow for privacy and secrecy. Samara shoots an aggravated look at me, then speaks to the Turian.

"What gave us away?"

"Well, I saw you guys talking to each other at the corner as I arrived to start my shift. You guys should dress more in casual clothes. And bring less guns."

"Secrecy not that much of a concern when galactic security is at stake." I automatically reply.

"Ah, of course. The fate of the universe really does hinge on Commander Shepard's crew being sustained by material goods. Well, this shop won't disappoint." He finishes with a grin, mandibles moving in cheerful succession. Sarcastic isn't one of my most favourite forms of humour, but the kid is charming. Warm, good company.

Samara smiles and asks;

"What is your name?"

"Tenar Kenhar – I know- the names rhyme, please, try not to take advantage of it like the other customers or my friends do- it's very annoying. I'm here on work experience as an assistant but I really like it here. Pay is nice, the job simple, shop is easy to maintain and I'm brilliant with numbers. Sounds like the perfect job for me."

"I'm glad to see the youth in this city finding pleasure in work that is decent. I was wondering if you could help me find a special gift for someone, a close friend of mine."

"Yeah, I could see you scanning through the aisles and not finding anything there. Well, I don't think there's anything much behind here-" He gestures behind the counter "-that'll be of any interest to you guys. Feel free to look though."

Samara and I scan the shelves and its seemingly antique items. There is nothing however that appears to catch our eyes.

Tenar looks at us, then decides to pipe up- "You know, the shop in that corner over there do some great gifts for couples or someone special."

Samara looks back at Tenar.

"Thank you for the suggestion, but our, 'relationship' does not require those kinds of gifts."

"Ah, ok, just suggesting. I wonder why Shepard made a beeline over there though when he left guys though."

Samara stops looking and looks at Tenar, then me, then in the direction of the store, puzzled.

"Shepard is in the wedding gifts store? But what might he be doing there?" she asks me, curious. I inhale through the nose and reply reluctantly.

"Shepard is seeking to purchase a gift of extreme significance for Tali'Zorah. The pair are in a, intimate and very close relationship."

"Why hasn't he told us this?"

"Shepard has only confided to me about the relationship regarding 'advice' on how to be with Tali without accidentally killing her. The rest I was able to deduce from obvious biological signs and observation of peculiar behaviour between the two. They are very much in love. However, whether out of shame or shyness it is unknown why Shepard did not initially reveal this to the whole crew- Shepard is not a fan of gossip or constant attention. Except of course with Ms Zorah."

"Who's this Tali'Zorah, a quarian babe? But Shepard's a human –Quarians and humans aren't meant to be compatible together." Tenar states bluntly. A little callous.

"If you wish to live a happy life, with understanding and wisdom" Samara interjects firmly- "You must first learn to accept that true love between two people knows no boundaries, whether they are gender, appearance, ideals, species, or even age- they are insignificant when love is involved."

I add in ;

"Also Shepard himself is said to have certain tastes that no human or asari he has ever known appears to satisfy. Close examination, Shepard's psych profile suggests that his interests lie within certain xenophilliac parameters and traits-"

"Mordin!" Samara forcefully intervenes, her eyes a subtly stronger colour than previously observed. I stop talking. Samara turns to a very surprised Teenar and smiles motherly at him.

"My apologies for my friend. He is considered a genius amongst his people due to the way his mind works and analyses. Sometimes it outruns him and he says things that are either completely unnecessary or painfully obvious."

"I do not!" I raise my voice indignant to this woman's claims.

"Anyway," she carries on, ignoring me. I seal my lips, seething.

"Anyway, I think I have found what I have been looking for." She says as she points to an empty, plastec-screened sphere with an openable door.

"That old thing?" Tenar echoes my curiosity as he points his thumb at it.

"I don't see how that will make a special gift for your Drell friend."

Samara glows blue, dark energy flowing from her arms as she telekinetically grabs the sphere sitting on the top shelf and lowers it down her hands. Tenar's mouth is wide open, shocked apparently at the great skill and care that Samara takes with her biotics as she grabs it gently from the air and blows on it, removing any dust from it.

"I am an thousand year old Justicar." She speaks serenely as she regards our intrigued faces with an un-perturbed expression.

"I think I know how to improvise when it comes to gifts for people I care about. How much is this?"


	6. Alone

"Legion? Legion, come in! Damn it! I yell futilely into the comm.

_Great, the first time I've ever done something like this and now my wingman is holding out on me. Damn Geth._

I sigh lethargically and realise that I have no choice but to choose Tali's gift on my own.

_Great_

I had been hovering over this very pristine and magnificent jewel that I think will look good on Tali, but I worry it is too flamboyant. I look at the other one I liked. Cheaper, sturdier looking, not so extravagant looking as the other one, but pretty and sweet to look at,sparkling in its own unique way.

_Like Tali_ I muse as I examine it more.

It has a rose on it, flecked with small but bright crystals like tear or rain-drops, just like Tali loves, and it's sturdy, full shape does not dent its' aesthetic value.

_Like Tali's ass!_

_SHEPARD!_

_Sorry, sorry, just making a comparison._

_Right, ok, I've decided._

_It'd not a complete jewel, but it's still shiny and beautiful to look at._

_It's perfect._

I look up and about for the human clerk who had disappeared about five minutes ago while I was talking to Legion.

"Hello?" I inquire.

For a usually crowded place, the store's level of noise had descended to a dark, almost silent lull. I was beginning to get a bad feeling about this. I shrug it off and call out for the clerk again.

"HELLO? IS THERE ANYONE THERE!" I yell, trying to ignore a chilling dread manifesting in my spine.

This is getting ridiculous. And for some damn reason, a little creepy. No-one answers me. Just the hum of machines and the civilians outside. I try and listen through the noise to hear something, anything that'll give the clerk away. Footsteps, farts, shuffles, crates moving, any kind of noise that a guy crap at stealth would make.

Nothing.

_Son of a- not even Thane is capable of being that quiet. This is getting fucking tense._

I decide to walk over and pry out the two trinkets that I've had my eyes on from their cases.

_He's probably taking a piss. He's in the bathroom with a copy of Fornax. He's having a self-appointed lunch-break- Nothing out of the ordinary's happening, no unexpected pre-emptive attack from an unknown enemy is about to occur and kill probably dozens of people including me and my friends. Nothing at all!_

I know I'm not just going to steal these, so I lose patience and walk to the service bell.

I'm about to press the button.

"S-Sir?" a shaky voice makes me whirl around-_why didn't I hear him come in?-_ and I see the clerk standing awkwardly at the door.

I'm about to say something to the clerk that would lower anyone's high opinion of me, expressing my impatience and therefore potential douchebaggery regarding the clerk's absence, when I stop. There is something metal on both sides of his neck. Curious, I move to step forward and take a closer look when suddenly the trinkets slip out of my hands, clanging as they hit the floor and roll about. Cursing slightly, I get down to the floor and pick them up. One is on the clear white tiled floor and is easy to find. The other one is under a table and I stoop on all fours to get it.

It's right there, in the middle, looking at me. Mocking me.

I growl, annoyed and frustrated and try to reach for it. I take a glimpse at the clerks feet behind the counter, then back at the ring.

Then back at the clerks feet.

They weren't there.

The clerk's feet were gone.

Completely.

Just two bloody stumps that hovered, Hovered above the ground. A brutal cut-away of bone and flesh, blood seeping and dripping onto the floor under him.

_So that's why I didn't hear him come in_ I grimly summarise._ The man was lifted in._

The wounds are still fresh- someone had just done this to the poor man.

Questions race through my mind

_Why didn't I hear the man scream?_

_Why didn't I hear the attack?_

_Furthermore, if the guy couldn't stand, who was holding him up?_

I strain to look past the stumps, trying not to puke. Nothing. Whoever was holding him up was hidden completely in shadow. Maybe using an cloaking device. I reach for the other jewel and grab it. I stand up and slip them into a pouch in my belt for safe-keeping. Somehow, I didn't think paying was going to be a high priority at the moment.

I look at the clerk. His face is contorted, teeth clenched, tears streaming down his red cheeks. A small trickle of blood is pooling down one side of his mouth. This man was in agony.

I reach for my shotgun, compact and concealed on my lower back, keeping my eyes trained on the individual. Whoever was holding him probably didn't realise that I had seen what he had done to his captive. Or maybe he did, and he is still holding him anyway, trying to get me to crack under the pressure. Suddenly the man, whimpers and breathes painfully.

"Are, you-_breathes in loudly and erratically, as if he was being choked._ – Commander Shepard?"

My hand touches the handle of the shotgun. Just one button press and the gun would unfold out, ready to deal some damage to the monster who was torturing the clerk.

"Yes."

At that answer, the clerks eyes suddenly widen, then bulge out, vessels reddening his irises with blood vessels. There is a slow and horrible wet crunching sound as the metal vices, the _fingers_ press in and crush the man's neck vertebrae, choking him and breaking his neck. The clerk gasps his last, before his eyes roll up and he is no more. Whoever is holding him then drops him unceremoniously to the ground, a gruesome squelch marking the end of an innocent wedding gift clerk.

Only monsters could do what the hell this thing did and pay little regard to their victims.

I watch as the skeletal, cyborg, grey-fleshed alien arm that was holding him shrink into the shadow. Five fingers, almost human, if not for extra articulatory points along them.

Blood drying on the floor. I think to myself, _run idiot- you don't know who you're up against._

The stubborn so-called heroic me wants to kick this new enemies ass for murdering that clerk.

Suddenly, I hear movement and then the monster steps forward from the shadows.

It's vaguely humanoid, except for small tentacles that weave around its back. Its' body is entirely gun black metal, red and yellow lines cursing around it's dark, sinuous body. It's face is a hideous mask of metal, expressionless, grotesque. The slanted, curved eyes, no nose, just a mouth of upward pointing metal tentacles that were rippling slowly but now are moving about more agitatedly like an ocean of teeth. It's mostly synthetic and metal, with one or two places with artificial flesh sown into its pits and extremities. One hand holds a vicious, twisted and almost barb-wired textured rifle. The other hand, the one who which had just killed the clerk, ripples with red and dark yellow energy. Its design appeared ancient, yet the dull armour appeared to be more than tough enough to withstand even a tank round. It regards me with a cold and malevolent stare.

The squid face. The evil robotic laugh of Sovereign and Harbinger slicing though my ears and I shiver in mortal fear as I find myself face to face with a Reaper Foot-soldier, the first of many that would storm the battlefields of every star system in the galaxy and overrun nearly every defendable position known to organics. They are the shock-troopers of the ever-expanding Reaper army and as of now were a danger to anything that breathes in the entire universe. Unless they were stopped.

I activate my shotgun, disrupter ammunition equipped and aim point blank at the Reaper's chest.

The Reaper simply growls like a rabid dog, its tentacles trembling to emphasise its rage, then moves as it speaks to me for the first time.

**Harbinger sends his regards, fleshling.**

In an inhuman blur of movement, the Reaper raises its hand cursing with unstable energy and fires a rocket shaped pulse right at me. I dodge out the way, but the pulse explodes against the wall next to me and I am thrown to the ground. Hard

_Ouch_ are my last thoughts as I slip into darkness, the Reaper foot-soldier stepping towards me.


	7. Reaper FootSoldier

**Shepard is neutralised. Proceed to find his companions and terminate them. Leave none alive. Then, begin your search for the Normandy. Wipe out every organic in your way. When you find the Normandy, destroy it.**

The instructions are received and the other soldiers that lie in wait activate.

We are ready to begin.

I stride out into the open. A turian, walking towards us does not see us until he is three feet away from. He is alarmed. Organic fear paralyses him on the spot. His mouth is agape.

He shall be the second to die.

I raise my rifle, fire. He is obliterated in an explosion of gore and fire.

Screams over-clock my audio link. I feel nothing. The slaughter has begun.

More yells of panic as the other soldiers emerge from the floor, shops and ceiling.

Weapon fire. Organics fall, pitifully to the ground, their weak bodies insufficient against our military power.

They cloud their fleshy minds with lies and false data. They are deceived and foolish. Weak. That which they know as Reapers have come to for harvest. Resistance is futile. Escape is futile. Their existence is futile.

They are all futile.

I watch as soldiers appear and cut down organics with gunfire and energy blasts. Alarms, noise. Irrelevant.

Armed organics appear. Their combat dress is meagre, useless against our weaponry. Many fall, their bodies joining the sea of blood and corpses beneath our feet. They are nothing.

One group approaches me. Their words distorted, mocking me and my superior intelligence. I would destroy them myself, but there are other means to fight this war. I raise a hand towards the lead human.

**Assuming control.**

The organic begins to shake violently, screaming in pointless pain. Its' allies take notice as he foams at the mouth, regurgitates, then looks up with primal rage coursing through its eyes and face. It yells like a beast and launches itself at one of its friends, attacking and devouring it like the animal it truly is. We terminate the others by weapon fire. We point at the possessed organic and then at the shop where Shepard's allies are.

**Seek.**

Gibbering madly, the husk races off, a faithful servant of substantial usefulness, blood dripping from its claws and mouth.

I spread my hands and assume control of all over deceased organics. They will prove useful in the destruction of the Normandy and its inhabitants. I watch as they race off, craving organic blood, then turn my attention to Shepard. I will guard his body and then extract it for Harbinger, for research and experimentation. His combat skills will prove useful against the armies on Earth. Under our control, he will lead our synthetic and organic army on the frontline and ensure that the Reapers maintain complete control of the galaxy. The organics strongest weapon, turned against themselves.

Glorious.


	8. Battle

Hmm, regaining conscious, slight throbbing in head. Checking body. No cuts or lacerations. No cartilage bones broken. Trying to remember

Ah yes. Explosion in wedding gift store, wonder if Shepard is still alive. Then explosions all around. Nothing to remember after that. Terrorists? Collectors? Unknown, impossible to tell. Bomb placement strategically placed in order to catch civilians in inferno. Rules out assassination attempt. Was Shepard the target? Are we the targets? Possible- Normandy and her crew in grave danger.

I stand up, trying to clear headache. Look around. Half of shop in inferno, many people dead. Samara? On the floor, unmoving. No apparent wounds, bruising, nothing serious. Teenar slumped on counter, head bleeding slightly. Both still alive.

_Sniff_

Thank goodness. I crouch over Samara.

"Samara? Samara? Are you awake? Please respond!"

I shake her, then she moans and moves. She places her hands on the ground and pushes herself back, wincing as she does so.

"Slowly, slowly. How do you feel?"

"A little winded- the explosion throw me into the counter and I was knocked out when I hit the desk with my stomach." She rubs her head, then tries to turn around. Winces again.

"Urnh! I think one of my ribs is broken.

"Hold on- have medi-gel application- will try and heal you."

She puts her hand up.

"Thank you Mordin, but the path of the Justicar is filled with many battles and conflicts- I think I will be fine. In the mean-time, I believe that we should use that medi-gel to heal our young friend here." She points at Teenar.

"Yes, of course." I hop over and administer the gel. I scan his body.

"Mild concussion. Slight dent to skin on forehead- Turian armour evolved for withstand physical trauma of this amount. Will be fine."

I jump over the counter and lie him down on his back, using a nearby cushion to prop his head up. He'll probably regain conscious by the time this is over.

Assuming it ends soon and we make it out alive.

I look over at Samara, who is trying to peer through the smoke as emergency fire extinguishers manage to put out the flames in the shop.

"Hmm, I believe we should find the perpetrators of this attack, if they are still around, and perhaps find Shepard in the process." She states calmly.

"Agreed." I draw out my Tempest Sub-machine gun and lock in a thermal clip. Samara draws out her assault rifle and activates her biotics. Suddenly, there is the sound of screaming, deranged, unholy, terrifying to hear. Monstrous. Samara and I look at each other, then slowly step outside, through the smoke and steam. Our vision clears. We are shocked at what we see.

Milling around, bleeding, wild, animalistic, covered with bullet holes and self-inflicted wounds. Humans, turians, salarians and asari. Ghastly, beastly, devolved by some kind of drug or poison. Beyond redeeming any of their humanity. They see us and hiss like predators, blood splattered faces and yellow eyes leering at us. Behind us, a large, seven foot metal being, tentacle face, red slanted, lifeless eyes. Machine, covered with dark and other forms of unknown energy. Reaper design.

Soldier class.

It points at us, tentacles rippling as it speaks

**Kill**

The creatures obey. And charge at us.

I fire an incinerate power at one and shot another in the head with the Tempest. No kinetic barriers- civillians lacked that, I grimly reflect as I kick another one.

I hear Samara's avenger assault rifle fire, then a sound of energy hitting bodys as her biotics come into play. I fire in bursts at the encroaching crowd, snarling and snapping at me

"Samara! How are you faring?"

"Whoever did this to these people didn't account for leaving any of their intelligence intact. They're cannon fodder!"

"Sent in to wear us and our ammunition down, easy prey for the Reaper Foot-Soldier!" I yell as I use a neural shock on another savage, foaming wildly. I then freeze another turian and reload, before punching it into fragments.

These people, whoever they were before they were changed, were attacking us. No chance of disabling them all at once- attack strategy to fierce, too fast to counter without permanently neutralising, No choice but to kill. Will mourn later.

The Reaper Soldier is pacing about in front of us, observing our combat strategies no doubt, devising counter-attack. Will kill us messily. Not intending to let that happen.

"Samara! Need to close distance to Reaper before thermal clips are used up! Can you create a hole?"

Samara punches a savage away and nods

"I will try!"

Glowing with element zero, Samara blasts at the savages with a pulsing ball of raw biotic power. The savages scatter, flying everywhere. Neutralised for the moment. We charge through, aiming our weapons, biotic and tech powers at him.

The Reaper had anticipated this. He raises his gun.

Having seen the extensive damage done to the civilians bodies, I found myself unwilling to test our kinetic barriers against this unknown weapon. I point my omni-tool at the weapon.

"Cryo blast, go!"

The reapers weapon freezes. The foot-soldier looks bemused as it's weapon refuses to work. Samara uses a 'Throw' blast on the distracted Reaper. The weapon shatters and the Reaper stumbles back, jabbering in some foul and ancient dialect. It's eyes stare at us with something unexpected to see in a machine. Hatred. It's eyes brighten briefly in their red glow and the embers orbiting it's body spin faster and faster.

"Hmm, may need Commander Shepard for this one."

Samara is consumed in a blue fire as she powers up her biotics, her voice still peaceful, yet determined

"Fear not Mordin. We will persevere."

The reaper no doubt understands this, as long, gun barrels click and extend from one of its wrists and shoulders. A single thick, barbed three foot wrist-blade extends from its left wrist. Red biotic energy gathers in its other hand, slowly growing unstable. The Reaper snarls a guttural, metallic sound and shifts one foot back into a combat pose.

Samara's expression barely changes, save for a small frown of her eyebrows.

"Although, Shepard's assistance would be much appreciated…."


	9. Shepard wakes up

"Awww" I moan as I slowly awake. Pain in my head. I'm lying face-first on the ground, covered in glass and debris.

_What the hell just happened?_

I push myself up so I'm sitting against the shop counter. I see the Reaper soldier standing with its back turned to me, back tentacles waving slowly, almost relaxed. A shocking juxtaposition compared to what it just did to me and the clerk minutes ago.

_Oh yeah, that thing happened_

I try not make noise as I lean forward, slowly, trying to reach my discarded shotgun. The scimitar is inches away. I manage to touch the handle, making little sound.

Apparently little sound is all that's needed to set off the sensor tentacles on the metal bastards back. It whips around, red eyes flaring.

_Crap_

I freeze. If I try and whip the gun out in front of the machine, it will probably kill me.

The machines tentacle slivers vilely as it speaks

**Harbinger did not specify whether you were to be brought before him alive or dead.**

It raises its weapon, its power levels whining as the gun charges up. A targeting laser appears, flaring into my eyes as it circles onto my forehead.

**You were thought dead. I shall correct that mistake.**

I close my eyes. There's nothing I can do.

_This is it._

_I love you, Tali-_

A sudden awkward clank snaps my eyes open in time to see a pipe complete its trajectory after bashing the Reapers head on the back of the head. The thing roars loudly in pain, probably not used to being snuck up on. It turns around to see its attacker.

It's Emily Wong, come back in time to save me. Covered with dust and her hair is scruffy and wild, but she's not hurt. The pissed off Reaper will probably change that though.

I grab the shotgun and open fire on one of its legs. The force of the blast, coupled with the range that the gun is at, bends the Reapers leg forward. I stand up and fire again, hitting the other leg and the soldier falls down to its knees, groaning in pain.

_Good, these things can feel pain. That puts us on level ground at least._

I walk up to the Reaper. Suddenly it lashes out- something shiny and thin blurring towards my chest. I react, shooting at the arm.

The wristbladed arm explodes violently in a show of red energy and artificial blood. I aim at the shoulder of its other arm and fire again, blasting it off completely. The reaper was now completely disarmed, writhing on its knees and screeching in agony.

Not the most honourable thing to do, but it threatened my friends and I reacted in self-defense. Such was the nature of war sometimes.

It stares at me with blood-red eyes that burn into my mind and I blink to clear it.

_Save it for the nightmares_

It speaks, metallic red blood pouring out of its tentacle mouth which was moving erratically.

**You will not succeed. Harbinger showed us your mind. How you are vulnerable. We will hunt down and murder your loved ones before your very eyes. Before you know death, you will know despair.**

I say nothing, pumping the shotgun to dispense the used up thermal clip. I look at the extensive damage down by the Reaper's weaponry at the shop.

"Damn, you just had to go ruin a pretty shop. You really shouldn't have done that. I actually liked this place out of all the others here on the Citadel."

The soldier hisses and continues,

**You may mock us now, but no divine intervention or organic faction will save you from your end this time. You may have cheated death, but you are no God. Who are you to assume the place of Guardian over these pathetic organics?**

I stare into the Reapers face, then aim my shotgun at it.

"I'm Commander Shepard, and this- BLAM!- is my – BLAM!- favourite- BLAM! -store- BLAM- In the- BLAM!- Citadel- BLAM!" ending my statement with a final shotgun blast to the head. The Reaper's armoured head can only stand so many disruptor shotgun rounds at point blank range. It disintegrates and showers blood and energy everywhere. The headless corpse falls defeated to the ground, twitching, a metallic sigh signalling its last.

I look up at Emily, who is shaking and looking at her dress.

"Are you ok-"

"You blew a hole in my dress, you bastard!" She screeches hysterically at me, which does nothing productive to my pounding headache.

"Sorry- I'm welcome?"

"GAAARR!" She yells at me, hands lifted in dismay. There is no time to mourn over the lost beauty of a dress. People were dying.

I reload the shotgun-

"Come on, I need to find my team and get you someplace safe."

I wonder out, a bitterly complaining Emily hobbling behind me.

"Oh hang on, wait."

I stop, turn and walk over to the clerk. I prop him up against the wall and then head over to the cash register, depositing thirty thousand credits in the terminal, the exact price of the gifts.

_At least I can say I didn't steal them…_

I head out the shop.

I make the sign of the cross- there are so many bodies.

So much blood- lives obliterated, connections brutally severed.

The Reapers will pay for this.

I swap to my Revenant and power up its inferno ammunition stock

Time to end this

I carry on, Emily cautiously in tow.

I hear noise.

Biotics, tech powers, omni-tools whirring. The sound of bodies hitting objects. SMG and assault rifle fire. Small explosions every now and then.

Yeah that would be Samara and Mordin all right.

I race through the fog, rifle levelled.

I burst through and am stunned by what I see.

Apparently Mordin and Samara were more than capable of taking care of themselves, though they were starting to tire.

One soldier lies on the ground, minus its upper body, smoking and leaking blood. Another is moving about on the ground with no legs, one arm and half a head, energy spitting out of its fading body.

Another lying on the ground looked relatively undamaged, except for a kitchen utensil sticking out of its domed cranium.

_Another ordinary item that Mordin has been able to turn into a killing apparatus._

_Got to admire his inventiveness._

Samara was casting biotic powers in an energy fight with a reaper with similar skills, deflecting, reflecting and firing pulses and streaks of dark energy in a spectacular duel of lights and power. A small cut grazed her cheek and her face was strained with considerable effort as she fought with every inch of biotic power within her. Her uniform was scratched and torn, flecked with scorch marks and gore. Other than that she was absolutely fine.

I look at Mordin. His lip was bleeding at the corner and he sported a black eye. His uniform too was scorched in places- some of it was gone, exposing cut and bleeding skin, but he didn't seem too bothered by his injuries to carry on beating a Reaper to death with a fire extinguisher.

"Nice to see you guys doing well without me."

Samara risks a brief glance at me in surprise. Mordin looks up from his brutalising of a screaming reaper and yells out, his voice joyous

"Shepard! You're not dead!"

"Not yet anyway."

"Will be with you in one second-" Mordin lifts the extinguisher and proceeds to bash the Reapers head about ten more times before its head finally cracks and ancient hardware shoots in sparks out of its head. Content that his foe was dead, Mordin looks up and smiles as if he had just completed a routine experiment.

Samara is still locked in a stand-off with the Reaper. She crys out-

"Shepard! I need you to help me with this!"

"What do you want me to do?" I shout back.

"Whistle!"

"What?"

"I said whistle, damn it!"

Shocked to hear Samara curse for the first time and not wanting to hear that again, I pierce my lips together and do a loud obnoxiously high pitched whistle. The Reaper bellows, annoyed at being distracted and looks at me, tendrils quivering as it jabbers about like a broken translator for a few seconds.

Just the amount of time that Samara needs.

Lifting up a huge part of loose flooring with little effort, Samara uses one hand to throw the giant chunk of Citadel shopping space into the Reapers body. The Reaper looks back in time to see it smash into its face and torso, propelling it towards a nearby wall and imbedding it firmly there. Its insides and plating cracks and flares out as the chunk crushes the thing's chest and nearly slices it in half. The Reaper groans and lifts up a hand, cursing incoherently, then falls against the chunk that had impaled it, unmoving. Samara slowly recovers from her bioic casting position, satisfied.

"Hmmph."

Mordin rubs some dirt from his face.

"Not bad, if I say so myself." He summarises, beaming contently.

"Not bad? Mordin, we nearly died twice in this fight and you call this fight not bad?" Samara objects.

"Apologies. Adrenaline high. Stress coping mechanism."

I shake my head and smile. These people were hilarious.

I march up to my team, not seeing a body move behind me and slowly stand up.

"Good work team. Now, I need a-"

Emily's scream interrupts me and I snap-turn to see a hideous, bloody looking man shuffling and growling towards her, drooling blood and saliva in a sickening display. Mordin is the first to react.

"Look out!"

He yells and whips out his Canifex hand cannon and shoots without taking the time to aim.

The human's head shatters, half his forehead displaced by an explosive slug entering his skull. His eyes turn skyward and he collapses without complaint.

Emily looks up from under her arms and looks at Mordin, now trembling.

"I, didn't think, I just, reacted."

Mordin softly speaks, then holsters his hand cannon, looking very meek and head hanging.

"Apologies, Commander. Will let you take the shot next time."

I'm about to wave it off when Emily's shrill voice fills the air.

"MORDIN?"

Mordin, who hasn't noticed Emily until that point, looks up at her and stares at her for a second. His eyes squint, then familiarity and the sound of recognition rings in his voice as he replies

"Emily? Emily!"

Emily hurtles past me and jumps straight into Mordin's open arms, his thin legs buckling under her momentum and weight. The pair embrace tightly and closely, kissing each other's lips frantically and with wild passion before mine and Samara's shocked faces, unsure what to make of our usually blunt and mild-mannered Professor.

It gets pretty awkward for a while after hearing the pair trying to speak while practically chewing each other's faces off.

"Missed you-mmph-so much!"

"Thought-mmm-of you- mmph- every day!"

They briefly part lips and Emily speaks with a new fire in her eyes and voice

"I thought you were never going to come back from Omega! Where have you been!"

"Top classified mission. Had to lie to you, to keep you safe. Mission now is complete- threat no longer problem- was about to request shore leave to here and try and find but got- _sniff-_side-tracked."

"I missed you so much.."

"I know. Feelings mutual. Talking with you over the extranet and messaging you still wasn't enough for me when I wasn't around you. Felt so lonely without you."

Emily sniffs happily and Mordin returns the gesture, sniffing contently

Emily reaches with one hand and strokes Mordins face.

"You're hurt-"

"Personal wounds not a concern. Safety of you, Citadel and whole galaxy my only worry."

"OOOooh! So romantic! You haven't changed a bit." That is all Emily can say as Mordin leans forward and their lips lock in another fiery embrace.

I put my hand up to the back of my neck. This is definitely not what I was expecting.

I cough to get their attention. Mordin breaks from the kiss and looks up at me, one of my brows cocked. He snappily retorts-

"Oh so what! You're dating a Quarian!"

I nod, still pretty reeling from the shock.

"Good point."

I look over to Samara as the couple continue their dramatic and emotional reunion.

"How many were there? Did you get all of them?"

"I, I don't know, although I think there's one more that escaped us. The machines said something about finding the Normandy-"

My eyes widen as I lose my breath in panic. I remember the Reaper's last words

…**.Before you know death, you will know despair… we will hunt down and murder your loved ones….. **

"TALI!"

I yell out and charge towards the closest set of stairs I see leading to the citadel hangar bay.

"Wait, Shepard-quick- found this in shop- military hardware tech"

Mordin's omni-tool and mine glow as I receive a new installation.

"What is it?"

"No time now- go to Normandy- save crew!"

I nod, then roar and thunder down the stairs, Revenant at the ready. That reaper will meet a swift and painful death if it so much as touches my Tali.


	10. Garrus Vakarian

"I still don't undertand why you didn't want to see the Citadel again, Garrus."

I twist my head to one side and stretch my mandibles. Tali wanted to go outside and take a look around one of her most favourite Pilgrimage hotspots. I decided that she could use some company- the last time she was on the Citadel formally, people tried to kill her.

Wouldn't hurt to have an ex-C-Sec cop watch your back.

"Because, Tali, of the bureaucrats and the red tape. That's why I moved to Omega."

_And then finding out that Sidonis, the man who betrayed my team to the criminal gangs was hiding out here. Convincing Shepard to help me take him down, then feeling, conflicted as he convinced me that he wasn't worth killing, that he still had some good in him. Letting him live._

"But don't you ever get tired of the sights here. This is such a beautiful place."

"Yeah, I guess…"

I sigh. There seems to be no end to Tali's endearing sense of cheerful optimism. She's too strong willed and yet too innocent minded to be cynical and bitter like me.

I guess that's why Shepard chose her and not Liara, Ashley, Miranda or Jack.

He had asked me initially on the first Normandy how to, approach her. He was reluctant about it but his feelings for her were apparent. I told him that he should just keep talking to her and be there for her, being continually supportive, and tell a good joke every now and then.

Seemed to work out fine with me.

Ever since he came back from the dead, Shepard had used every opportunity to go see and talk to her. I'd notice occasionally- the body language, the signs, that look in his eyes when one of us mentioned her name.

And yet there was that sense of hesitation and doubt about him when he first paying more attention to her. Shepard was a compassionate guy and made sure everyone he knew was ok. He was concerned about Tali's health and what he would accidentally do to her. Yet that still didn't stop them from getting together. Was true love blind or just stupid?

Probably both.

I shift a bit on the crate and look about me. Tali had also wanted to go out to greet Shepard as he came back, but he had been gone a long time. Yet Tali had insisted that we wait.

I want to go back inside. I swear I have an OCD over how to properly calibrate that damned gun in the firing chamber. And Kelly.

I wanted to see her again.

By the spirits, there was something about her and the way those green eyes looked into mine, her posture when she looked at me, her smile and laugh. So sunny and sensitive, so vulnerable that I wanted to hold her close and tell her that it'll be alright.

Evidently she felt the same way. I had never felt so lucky in my whole life.

She even admitted that the scars turned her on a bit, and that I had fiery eyes.

So hot…

Well, now I have more excuses to get out of that damned gun chamber…

I look at Tali, her hands folded and thumbs moving, her head lolling from one side to the other.

Ah well, I have time to kill. May as well use it to find out more about how the engineer and the commander were getting along.

"So Tali, about you and Shepard….."

"What about it?" She looks back at me.

I lean on my elbows.

"How are you two doing?"

"Garrus, you know I can't tell you that much of what me and Shepard get up to-"

"Are you happy? With him, I mean."

Tali turns fully to face me. Her voice lowers

"More than with anyone else I have ever been with."

"How is your um, body, coping? With the urm, and the, well.."

_Stupid awkward question- please don't use your shotgun-_

"Garrus!"

"I'm just saying- are you okay with being with someone who is of a different species to you."

"Garrus, if you must know, I loved him long before he died and then meeting him again on Freedom's Progress. I knew the risks, and I didn't care. What happens now to me and my immune system is not important. He is worth every cough, sneeze and fever I get from our time together."

I nod. I try to look out for my best friend and now we've ended up talking about her love life.

_Fantastic_

"I'm, sorry, about that. It's just- I worry for you sometimes. We've been through some crazy shit and well, I just- It's hard to tell how you're faring and all with-"

"My helmet?" Talis voice is sad, a bit of hurt in it.

"…..Yes. With your helmet." I feel like a fool. One of the many reasons why I never went for Quarians, even if our species shared the same food types. Female Turians, Humans and asari were brilliant but Quarians? How is it that I still can't cope with talking to someone whose face is hidden most of their life. Shepard must have some acute eyesight to see her eyes and expression properly, but me? I can't tell a damn thing what she thinking until she indicates or says it.

Me and Tali were good friends, but there was always that wall of, awkwardness between us.

I lower my head.

"…Sorry, I-"

"It's ok. I know you're concerned and I'm happy you take notice of these things, but I'm coping. In fact lately I've been getting less ill after my, evenings, with Shepard. I think I'm, I don't know, getting used to him."

I smile, briefly.

"That's good to hear. I just- Yeah, that's good to hear."

If there are moments where I could hazard a guess what she's feeling, I'd say that now she was smiling.

"I do admit though-" I look up at the slightest change in her voice- "He has been acting strange lately. Almost evasive, like he's hiding something from me."

I'm about to say that every person needs a little space maybe occasionally, considering how close they've been over the past several months, but I'm unable to talk, interrupted.

The nearby elevator dings as the lift reaches the floor we are on. Tali whirls around in the direction of the sound and steps forward, a spring in her step as she waits for her love to emerge from the lift doors

What does emerge from the lift doors makes her scream and I jump off the crates to better see what has scared her.

A deranged, violently contorting group of rabid looking humans, asari and salarians, foaming at the mouth and covered from their hands to their faces with blood and gore from all sorts of races, are stalking towards us, twitching like sick varren, staring at us with yellow glowing predatory eyes. They looked a bit like husks, except without the grey skin and blue lights adorning their bodies. Someone was able to turn them to these mindless servants without going through the long process of using of the 'dragon's teeth.' Almost as if it was instantaneous.

This was definitely new. And dangerous.

_Is__nowhere__safe?_ I yell inside as I bring my Vindicator rifle to bear.

"Tali get behind me!"

She backs off and readies her shotgun as I open fire on pure instinct.

The first burst hits one of the mutants full in the chest and the others pick up their pace as their friend falls. I fire and move my rifle from side to side, try to do some spray damage in single bursts to conserve ammunition.

It works. Two fall dead in one burst instead of two. Then three more. The last two make a mad rush towards us, screaming and clawing at us.

I pull the trigger but realise that I'm empty. By the time I try to lock in a thermal clip, it's too late. One rushes past me, towards Tali. The other one is two feet within closing distance.

Yelling a turian battle cry, I raise the stock of the rifle and thrust it forward, hitting the mutant in the face. It's knocked off its feet and I lock in a thermal clip before putting a burst in the freaks forehead.

"Good night."

I turn to look in the direction of the other freak in time to see it be blown apart by Tali's shotgun, body parts flying everywhere. I cover my face to stop it getting covered from the spray of blood, but I still get some gore on me. I place an annoyed look in Tali, who shrugs and reloads.

"You O.K.?"

"I'm good I- GARRUS LOOK OUT!"

I'm not fast enough to bring my gun up as a seven foot metal-armoured soldier, with red eyes and a tentacle covered mouth staring at me remorselessly as it materialises out of its cloaking system and lumbers forward, grabbing me by the throat and lifting me off the ground.

_How__did__I__not__hear__such__a__big__thing__coming-_ I'm able to ask myself before gasping loudly as the hand begins to crush my neck. I'm able to just about get my fingers under it's python like grip, get some air, before it raises a fist and punches me in the chest.

I'm flying, fast, backwards and I crash into the pile of crates.

I'm dazed, bleeding

_Pull it together- Garrus_

I try to call out to Tali, tell her to run, but the super-soldier is advancing towards her, fast.

I'm losing my grip.

Hard to hold on.

Eyelids weak.

Wanna sleep.

Can't- have to save Tali.

I hear something, a yell- it's so distant and I catch someone with grey and blue armour charging down the entrance steps, holding a gun and looking very, very pissed off.

_Shepard._

_In the nick of time._

_You know, I think everything's gonna be, alright._

I white out.


	11. Shepard vs The Reaper Soldier

"Step away from her!" I yell with all the effort I can muster.

The Reaper turns around.

Tali sees me and calls out

"Shepard!"

I look at her, then see Garrus's prone form on the deck floor.

_That metal son-of a bitch_

The machine speaks in a monotone voice, yet with a hint of mocking and superiority that was typical of a normal Reaper.

**Your tenacity is impressive. You would have made a formidable ally in our quest to conquer the stars. Yet you defy us, and now you will suffer.**

"Your kind have spilt too much innocent blood for me to even consider joining you."

I lift my Revenant.

Tali ducks out of the way behind some of the scattered crates.

I fire.

All eighty slugs from the Revenant machine gun hit a spot on the Reaper soldier. Chest, head, groin- everywhere that the bullet spray touches. The inferno ammo briefly consumes the Reaper in an aura of explosive plasma and incendiary power.

I run out of bullets and cycle a new clip.

The Reaper barely flinches. In fact it looks like its armour had absorbed the tremendous damage it had taken and regenerated any of the organic parts that it did hit.

No effect.

The reaper hisses and growls at the same time, a menacing sound. I refuse to back down.

It flicks its left wrist.

**Pathetic.**

A barbed, three foot wrist-blade cackling with Reaper energy trails slices into existence and the Reaper soldier advances towards me.

I look at Tali, peeking out behind the crates.

No time for me to swap weapons

Bullets don't work

I desperately activate my omni-tool for anything, anything that'll help me in this.

Then I remember Mordin's gift

I activate the node with a press of a finger.

A large, orange, shimmering blade of light snaps out of the omni-tool and extends out in front of me, longer than my extended hand.

_An omni-blade?_

No time to think- I move to 'parry' the Reapers incoming blade, hoping to God it doesn't shatter on impact.

They spark as the blades make contact- and stay that way.

_YES!_

I quickly shunt the other blade away and slice side-ways, burning through the Reapers tentacle mouth.

A bunch of grey tendrils, smoking from where they've been cut fall to the ground.

The Reaper squeals, holding its face as it steps back

I jump forward and side kick the thing, sending it back-pedaling.

It stops, regaining balance and bellows vengefully at me. I raise my blade to my face.

_To the death._

It lumbers forward, blade coming down in a wide arc. I reach up and block it, stumbling a bit from the force as it lifts its arm and moves to strike my side. I move and block it, shunting that one away and smash my fist in the side of the Reaper's face in a right hook.

That attack is futile. The Reaper recovers faster than I think and slashes to its left again, the blade burning through the front of my chest-piece. I grunt and move to block another attack, and then another as much as I can, ignoring the warm feeling running down my chest.

The Reaper lunges and I sidestep and perform a strike of my own, blade burning through the side of the Reaper's torso.

Another pained cry.

I spin and met the Reapers counter-attack with a perfect block, then spin both our blades around in circles before throwing them both up. I angle my blade and go for the kill.

Bad move.

The reapers hand smacks into my chest, and I stumble back, lifting my blade and trying trying to keep up with the Reapers relentless assault. Each strike was harder to block, harder to catch, harder to evade.

I persist.

Another lucky strike sees my blade cutting through above the knee joint of the monster.

A screech of rage temporarily paralyses me and I lift my arms to try and ward off another attack.

I fail to see the Reapers leg swing out and kick me in the back of my legs. I'm knocked off the ground and land on my back.

The Reaper stands over me, barbed blade crackling and dripping with my blood.

Then it descends, blade angled towards my face.

I reach with my right arm and grab the fist of the blade arm, stopping it from slicing into my eyes by inches. Arm fully extended, I try to strike with my sword arm but the reaper pins with his right arm.

The blade arm moves closer to my face. Despite all the cybernetic implants, heavy muscular weave and the improved strength of my replaced partially artificial arm, the reaper blade was getting closer to my eyes, energy sparks threatening to blind me.

My eyes squint.

_I'm not gonna die like this. Not in front of Tali. Not like a weakling._

I try to push back, but its no use. The Reaper was stronger.

I think of alternatives, then a new idea, based off advice from Thane-

_If you cannot resist or repel an oncoming force, try to re-direct it on a pathway that moves the force away from you_

Thank you Sensei-

I stare into the Reaper's unfeeling eyes. Then with effort, I move the blade arm past my head, remembering to stop pushing at the same time.

The momentum of its own strength catches the Reaper by surprise as it's blade misses and sinks into the deck floor, temporarily wedging itself in the plates an inch to the right of my head, as the Reaper drives itself into the ground. I take advantage of the brief loss of grip in the other Reapers hand pinning my sword-arm. I rip it out of its hand and manage to manoeuvre my arm at an angle, than slash the omni-blade through the Reaper soldier's throat.

Eyes brightening in surprise and shock. Red viscous blood and synthetic juices spew from the jagged cut in its neck and the Reaper pulls itself off the floor, grabbing its throat, making mechanical gargling noises. I'm covered with Reaper blood as I roll away and stand, blade up and ready for any surprise attacks. The Reaper twitches, shaking, tentacle mouth splayed out wide as it utters unintelligible words. Blood from the Reaper is decorating the deck floor and I watch as the creature chokes on its own fluids, eyes flashing red, yellow, red again. It falls to the ground, writhing. I take a weary step forward as the Reaper coughs horribly, then twitches and dies, a death rattle escaping its mouth.

In spite of everything this monstrous creature did to the people on the Citadel, it at least had the decency to fight on my terms rather than blow me to pieces with its gun or powers. I bow slightly towards the dead machine, my one and only sign of respect to the ancient race of tyrannical and genocidal war machines. I then walk away, no words said, just the silence that occurs after a life is taken by another, who is left victorious from the fight, but knows exactly about how precious the gift of existence truly is. That is the man I am.

Tali rushes over to me and despite the gore I am covered with hugs me, weeping and sobbing into my chest.

"I thought I lost you."

I hold her and then plant a kiss on her helmet.

"I don't plan on going again. Not yet."

Her eyes shine at me, and that is all I need to see to make me smile.

Her starry eyes, fuelled by heart-fire.

"I love you so much Tali."

She sniffs noisily, a cute noise amplified by her helmet and then she replies

"I love you too."

We hold each other close as Garrus groans and stands up. The elevator dings as Mordin, Emily Wong and Samara walk out through the doors.

Garrus looks at the others, the dead reaper body, the dishevelled trio who had just emerged from the elevator, and then at me and Tali hugging.

"So I take it you won then."


	12. Thane Krios and his gift

In the life support room, I sit at my desk. Deep in prayer.

_Kalhirah, Goddess of the sea, take in the souls of the people whose lives have been claimed today by the dark soldiers. Arashu, Goddes of motherhood and protection, may those who have been damaged beyond repair by their loved one's death be offered consolation and comfort. Amonkira, Lord of Hunters, bring swift and decisive justice to those responsible for this atrocity._

I open my eyes in time to hear Samara walk into the room. I turn my head slightly to greet her.

"Samara. Good to see you."

Samara nods and walks over to the table, sitting on the chair at the opposite side.

"And I you."

Her face is slightly bruise and a healed cut is faintly visible on her left cheek.

"How do you feel? I heard the fight was, difficult."

Samara rubs her face.

"It is nothing some medi-gel and meditating can't heal. I have had worse and am told that I will fully recover in a day or two."

I nod at her. It is good to see her alive and well.

"Shepard told me everything, about how these reaper soldiers appeared out of nowhere and started massacring the entire ward. It is fortunate that you and Mordin were able to stop them while you could."

Samara lowers her head.

"It is rarely a victory when innocent civilians are killed in fights that weren't theirs to choose. I, I wish I was able to save more of them."

I take her hand in mine.

"The Reapers probably possessed the civilians to slow you and the professor down. To mire you in bodies that never once intended to hurt you. To take advantage of your code that tells you to protect and save civilians. To fight you, inside."

Samara looks up, then nods solemnly.

"However, you have no right to blame yourself for what happened. Those people's deaths were the Reaper's doing, not yours. You simply acted in self-defense."

Samara, so reserved and serene in her mannerisms and behaviour, cannot help but shed a single tear. She wipes it from her face and blinks as the deaths begin to truly affect her.

"I- I gues you are correct when you say that. I shouldn't let these deaths affect me. They were transformed into monsters and killing them was an act of mercy."

She nods, determined to accept this. She looks back up at me.

"Anyway, thank you. For your comfort."

I bow courteously.

"It is a pleasure and honour to assist someone devoted to ridding the galaxy of the unjust."

"I, actually came here to bring you a gift."

"Oh really?"

Samara reaches down to her belt and holds up a slightly scratched plastec see-through globe.

"I apologise for the damage- It was hard to look after it and fight for your life at the same time."

She places it on the table, then opens the small compartment.

I'm slightly confused.

"I'm, not sure what to-"

I stop as Samara closes her eyes and brings her hands together. The room darkens slightly as she opens her eyes again and they are cyan-blue.

She slowly opens her hands and creates a small, ball of rippling biotic energy. Then, with gentle skill and focus, shifts the ball forwards and places it inside the globe. The sphere of energy moves from her hands to the inside of the bowl without destabilising or spreading out and I am marvelled to see Samara able to generate and concentrate all her energy into creating such a small and controlled essence of element zero.

Samara waits until the transition is complete and then closes the small door, sealing the ball of biotic energy inside. She hands to me, smiling slightly. As I hold it, she speaks, a little drained, but content;

"May this energy help guide you through dark places at any point in your life, whether they are within the galaxy or within your heart. If you find yourself alone or unable to find comfort, look to this globe and think of me. It will shine for you."

I am awestruck, overwhelmed by this generous gift and blessing that she has given me. I am entranced by the swirling elixir of energy that resides in the globe, its display magnificent.

I set it down as she stands to leave.

"May the Goddess watch over you."

I stand up and embrace her, stopping her. She is rigid, but then returns the gesture. Then we part, me holding her hand with both of mine.

"Thank you."

She smiles and proceeds to walk out of the room.

"May Arashu watch over you on Omega," I say to her as she goes.

"…..Siha."

She turns and smiles with her lips, then walks off to the starboard observatory to meditate.

I sit down and lose myself in a trance as the ball of biotic energy moves peacefully around, the room lit up in its ambient blue glow.


End file.
